Client: City of San Diego

Location: San Diego, CA

RNT was hired as part of a Design-Build team by the City of San Diego for a new 30,000 SF city library branch for the eastern Mid-City neighborhood, a generally underserved area. Oak Park Library will be a social hub for the local community, bringing families and patrons of all ages together in s a state-of-the-art library that provides an engaging cultural, educational an civic resource.

Our design for this library is driven largely by the influence of the site's natural setting - a sylvan oasis within a larger urban setting. It is envisioned as a "Treehouse at the Park" where the interior spaces seamlessly transition into outdoor activity areas. A palette of natural building materials and passive sustainable strategies create welcoming and high-performing building while a multi-purpose Pocket Park serves as a link between the existing nature trails, oak groves, Chollas Creek, the larger neighborhood and the library.

The two-story building is designed with expansive views out into the surrounding park lands and beyond to downtown San Diego with deep roof overhangs that create shaded outdoor patio space. Skylights and clerestory windows allow summer heat to escape the building through a chimney effect while admitting indirect natural light. Warm and inviting heavy timber wood ceilings throughout the lobby, adult collection, manager's office and teen space create a soothing and welcoming atmosphere. Programs include a customer service area, adult and teen collections, a maker space with access to 3d printers, laser cutters, and more, a community room that opens to the outdoors, and a children's collection area with a life-size tree sculpture at the center of the story-telling space with integrated LEDs that mimic stars in the night sky. This project is targeted for LEED Gold and Net Zero.